Live Reporting

That's it from us

We are bringing our live coverage of the two investigations into corruption at Fifa to an end now - thanks for joining us. You can continue to get the latest on the story here.

AFPCopyright: AFP

18:00

Post update

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) says the investigation has its full support.

"The entity will wait for its conclusion responsibly without any prejudgment of guilt or innocence. CBF's new administration, that started on 16 April, reinforces its commitment to truth and transparency."

17:55

Maradona has his say

Argentine football star Diego Armando Maradona says he would personally "kick the asses" of corrupt officials in FIFA.

He supports the bid of Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein to become the next head of the football governing body.

"As soon as we arrive in FIFA, the good people will stay. But to those who are bad, I am personally going to kick their asses," he said during an interview on Argentine radio.

EPACopyright: EPA

17:52

Jack Warner hangs up on BBC

EPACopyright: EPA

The BBC attempted to contact Jack Warner, the former Fifa vice-president accused of soliciting $10m in bribes from South Africa's government over the hosting of the 2010 World Cup. He said "I'm not going to comment on the Fifa charges" and promptly hung up.

Earlier, he issued a statement saying he was innocent of any charges.

17:46

'No excuses'

The Swiss Attorney General "won't take any excuses" if it decides to question Sepp Blatter, according to its head of communications Andre Marty.

He told the BBC: "For the time being, there is no need to talk to Mr Blatter as he is a resident in Switzerland, so we could basically invite him to speak to the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland at any given time."

17:38

Russia: US acted 'illegally'

Russia has accused the US of acting illegally in its indictment of Fifa officials.

It was "another case of illegal exterritorial use of US law", according to Russian Foreign Ministry, who urged Washington to "stop trying to set itself up as a judge far outside its borders".

Get involved

Brazil's bid

More reaction from around the world. Brazil's president Dilma Rousseff has said the corruption investigation is "very important".

"I don't think it will be damaging to Brazil, and Brazilian football can only benefit from it. If they have to investigate Brazil's bid for the World Cup, they should investigate all the bids."

AFPCopyright: AFP

17:15

Post update

Gary Lineker: 'Boycott Fifa'

Former England striker Gary Lineker told BBC 5 Live he wants a strong international response to allegations.

"The major federations of world football need to get together, boycott Fifa - the English, the Germans, the Spanish, the Italians, the Americans, Brazilians, major forces in world football, (should) come together and say 'listen, we've had enough of this. It's time we did something differently, more transparent, more honest that the game deserves'."

17:06

'$10,000 stacks'

More on the allegations that Fifa executives accepted bribes to help secure the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The US indictment alleges that senior government officials in South Africa arranged a $10m bribe to ensure that members of Fifa's executive committee backed South Africa, rather than Morocco.

The BBC's Andrew Harding in Johannesburg says these are "devastating allegations for this country. Nelson Mandela had been instrumental in championing South Africa's successful bid".

"So far, no government officials here have commented, but the sports ministry said it was preparing a statement. The indictment describes a separate incident, when, it's alleged, a senior South African official travelled to Paris to hand over cash in $10,000 stacks - in a hotel room, to an unnamed man co-conspirator working for the former Fifa Vice-President Jack Warner."

Posted at 16:05 27 May 201516:05 27 May 2015

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Contact us

Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Curatica in Bucharest, Romania emails: In the last 20/30 years, football has become a business. And a dirty business. Corruption spreads like weeds and it is impossible to cure , unless one pulls all the grass.

17:03

Post update

Many think Americans do not care about football - or soccer, as they call it. Here are some stories from recent years that say otherwise:

BreakingBreaking News

Contesting extradition

Six of the seven Fifa officials arrested in Zurich are opposing their extradition to the US.

A Swiss justice ministry statement says: "For those individuals who are contesting extradition, the (justice ministry) will now ask the US to submit formal extradition requests within the 40-day period provided for in the bilateral extradition treaty."

The ministry did not mention any names.

16:54

Post update

Get involved

Over on the BBC News Google+ page, Ian Birthwright says: "If anything comes of this it'll take years for meaningful change to take effect on all levels. Especially the very top."

16:51

Post update

Anna Bressanin

BBC News, Miami

Since early morning, journalists have been camped outside of Concacaf in Miami, Florida, where investigators have executed a search warrant.

Post update

Hans W. Koerfges in Königswinter, Germany emails: Mr Blatter said he knew nothing about what his officials did, nothing about bribes and money laundering. If that is the truth, Mr Blatter is unacceptable for his presidency because he has no reins in his hands. Every soccer enthusiast should wipe him out of office.

16:31

Post update

Jaimie Fuller, founder of the New Fifa Now organisation, tells BBC World TV that the planned Fifa election on Friday should not go ahead and President Sepp Blatter should step down immediately.

Mr Fuller adds: "We're dealing with the organisation that is corrupt to its core."

16:28

Post update

After speaking for nearly 40 minutes and taking several questions from the press, the US officials have closed their press conference in New York.

We now wait to see charging documents released that may provide more insight into the allegations against Fifa.

'Global investigation'

"This racketeering enterprise impacted the United States in a number of ways," Mr Currie said.

He pointed out that Concacaf's headquarters has been in the United States for many years.

"This is a global investigation, we live in a global marketplace" he said. "This is really no different".

16:24

Post update

Kelly Currie just pointed out that a lot of developing countries depend on Fifa grants for expanding soccer in their countries. He said that the bribes take away from money available for these grants.

16:23

'Soul searching'

ABCCopyright: ABC

"I think Fifa has a lot of soul searching to do," US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said of football's governing body.

16:22

Post update

If you're just joining us, US officials are briefing the press in New York on alleged corruption at Fifa.

Those who are speaking include:

US Attorney General Loretta Lynch

Acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Kelly Currie

FBI Director James Comey

IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Richard Weber

16:12

Post update

"We will try to apprehend the remaining defendants," Ms Lynch said of the officials who've been named but not arrested.

She said if they were in the US they would be brought to New York, if not then extradition processes would be generated.

16:12

Post update

Ms Lynch said the US and Swiss investigations have been "proceeding on separate tracks" but that authorities from both countries have been cooperating very well.

16:09

Post update

For those watching who may be a bit confused, Ms Lynch is also taking questions on NSA spying - a separate matter all together.

Posted at 16:01 27 May 201516:01 27 May 2015

BreakingBreaking News

Fifa 'took bribes for 2010 World Cup'

Fifa executives accepted bribes to help secure the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the US Attorney General Loretta Lynch has said. Read the main story here.

16:04

Post update

The BBC's Nick Bryant asked Ms Lynch if Sepp Blatter's name has been cleared.

She refused to comment saying only that she would limit her remarks to the individuals who have been charged. Mr Blatter is not amongst those.

16:04

Post update

Mr Weber is detailing tax evasion on the part of some of soccer officials. He spoke of how money was held in off shore accounts to avoid taxation.

"This really is the world cup of fraud, and today we are issuing Fifa a red card," he said.

16:01

Post update

"Whether you call it soccer or football, the fans, players, and sponsors around the world who love this game should not have to worry about officials corrupting their sport," IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Richard Weber said.

15:58

Post update

"This sort of bribery and corruption in international soccer has been going on for two decades. Our investigation...that itself took years," Mr Currie said shortly before leaving the podium.

15:56

Post update

Kelly Currie, who took the podium after Ms Lynch, is explaining these charts.

The charts detail how Fifa is structured and how the alleged corruption took place.

BBCCopyright: BBC

BBCCopyright: BBC

15:55

Post update

"The 14 defendants had a variety of roles... but what they did have in common was greed - greed that drove them to exploit their positions for cash," the acting US attorney for the eastern district of New York, Kelly Currie, tells reporters.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

15:53

Post update

"They corrupted the business of worldwide soccer to serve their interests and to enrich themselves," Mrs Lynch added.

15:51

Post update

"The 47-count indictment includes charges of racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering spanning two generations," she says.

15:50

Post update

US Attorney General Lynch says that authorities are executing a search warrant at the headquarters of Concacaf, which she described as "as organisation in crisis".

15:49

Post update

Ms Lynch and FBI Director James Comey are detailing their allegations to the press now.

"They did this over and over, year after year, tournament after tournament," Ms Lynch said of the officials' alleged corruption.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

15:48

Post update

US Attorney General Loretta Lynch has opened a news conference in New York. The director of the FBI James Comey is also there.

Posted at 14:43 27 May 201514:43 27 May 2015

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Fifa president 'might be questioned'

'Having a rest'

A spokesman for the Confederation of African Football (Caf), Junior Binyam, says his organisation reiterated its support to the Sepp Blatter presidential candidacy during a meeting in Zurich earlier on Wednesday.

Mr Binyam also commented on reports that Caf president Issa Hayatou was approached for questioning at the hotel in Zurich, but was not among the officials arrested.

"President Hayatou is at Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich having a rest... And for the time being Mister Hayatou is in Switzerland and has always being available to answer to any authority‎ for the related matter."

Posted at 14:32 27 May 201514:32 27 May 2015

Visual aids

BBC Sport's Richard Conway is keeping across developments on Twitter. He says the US Attorney General's office has put together these handy visual guides to explain the Fifa arrests.

TwitterCopyright: Twitter

TwitterCopyright: Twitter

15:30

Coming up

The FBI and the US Attorney General will hold a news conference at 14:30 GMT (10:30 EST). You can watch it live here on the BBC website.

Posted at 14:30 27 May 201514:30 27 May 2015

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@juhapearson tweets: @BBC_HaveYourSay Let's not forget the hundreds of migrant workers who have died building stadiums for the Qatar World Cup #FIFA

Posted at 14:20 27 May 201514:20 27 May 2015

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Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Kaleb Fasil emails: This is good news. Other than the charges mentioned there need to be more investigation of fixing games and bribing referees. I travelled to Qatar in 2013 for 9 months, it's the hottest place on Earth when it comes summer time. There are human rights allegations and a culture of a weak freedom of women's rights.

15:19

Post update

The UK's minister for sport, Tracey Crouch, has welcomed the Fifa investigations, saying she "fully backs the FA's position that change and reform is urgently needed at the top of Fifa, including its leadership".

'Cleaning up'

Post update

World Have Your Say is now live on BBC World Service radio answering audience questions on the Fifa corruption inquiry. Listen live here and send your questions to @bbc_whys.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

15:06

Post update

Nick Bryant

BBC News, New York

tweets: The bulging ring-binder that contains the charges and Indictments in #Fifa officials case

Nick BryantCopyright: Nick Bryant

14:54

Post update

If you are just joining in now - welcome to the BBC's live coverage of the arrests of football officials at the sport's governing body body Fifa. They were detained over corruption allegations in Zurich, Switzerland.

Stay with us for the latest updates - reports from our correspondents on the ground, expert analysis, and your reaction from around the world. You can contact us via email, text or Twitter. We'll publish what we can.

14:53

Calls for more transparency

German sportswear company Adidas is calling on Fifa to do more "to establish and follow transparent compliance standards in everything they do" following the charges. It's not the first time the firm - which has been associated with Fifa for more than half a century - has expressed concern over corruption allegations, Reuters reports.

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New leader?

Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein of Jordan, who is running against Sepp Blatter for the role of president, says the crisis at Fifa "cannot continue".

"Fifa needs leadership that governs guides and protects our national associations. Leadership that accepts responsibility for its actions and does not pass blame.

"Leadership that restores confidence in the hundreds of millions of football fans around the world."

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

14:24

'It's like a chess game'

David Mellor, former UK government minister and football radio presenter, had some strong words for Mr Blatter on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It's like a chess game now, the next move is obvious. Blatter and his shambolic regime now have to go."

14:16

comments

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Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

David in Hertfordshire, UK emails: How can Blatter remain at the helm of FIFA after this has happened on his watch? We now require all of the UEFA officials come out and vote against Blatter, in order to restore confidence in the organisation, otherwise most of the business support will slowly disappear. There is much too much money in football going to the wrong people. Who pays the price? - as always the supporters.

14:15

comments

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Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Nelly Carvalho in Birmingham, UK emails: It is with the regret to say that football today is not the football it was years ago, football nowadays is full of corruption. Absolutely ridiculous.

14:12

Post update

In Miami, the FBI raided the headquarters of the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) regional football body as part of the investigation.

APCopyright: AP

Posted at 12:59 27 May 201512:59 27 May 2015

"Shocking and harmful" - German reaction

More reaction from around the world to Wednesday's dramatic developments.

Wolfgang Niersbach, the president of the German Football Association, called events in Zurich two days before the Fifa congress "shocking and harmful for the world of football".

"It would be terrible if the severe accusations against members of Fifa are proved to be correct. In Uefa we will discuss how in the face of these events we will address the upcoming Fifa congress."

13:47

comments

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Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Lamine Sanderson in Sierra Leone emails: I think Mr Blatter has to save the face of the game by calling it a day! The best thing for the future of football is to see a new phase and changes at the top of the global game otherwise, Fifa will be seen as lacking leadership and direction.

13:46

Jack Warner: "I have not even been questioned"

Jack Warner, a former top Fifa official who was among those indicted, has now issued a statement. Mr Warner, who has not been arrested, denies all charges. He faced repeated allegations of corruption during and after his time at Fifa.

"I have been afforded no due process and I have not even been questioned in this matter. I reiterate that I am innocent of any charges. I have walked away from the politics of world football to immerse myself in the improvement of lives in this country where I shall, God willing, die.

"The actions of Fifa no longer concern me. I cannot help but note however that these cross-border coordinated actions come at a time when Fifa is assembled for elections to select a President who is universally disliked by the international community."

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Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Nicholas Elmslie in England email: Fifa upset too many nations with some clout when they handed the two World Cups to Russia and Qatar. Now they are paying the price. Blatter thinks that Fifa is above national laws and governments. He even refers to Fifa as "his government".

13:01

World Cup bids celebrations

There were huge celebrations in Russia and Qatar back in 2010 when they won the right to host World Cups in 2018 and 2022, respectively. But now both bids are under criminal investigation...

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

12:45

Russian reaction

Vyacheslav Koloskov, a former longstanding Fifa vice-president from Russia, tells BBC Russian he did not witnessed any corruption schemes during his time in the Fifa.

Mr Koloskov says: "When I worked in Fifa nobody has been arrested or suspended, so there was no corruption, but I'm out of work in the organisation for six years and am no longer a member of the Fifa executive committee. I don't know how strong a blow it will be for Fifa, we have to wait for Blatter's comments."

Mr Koloskov took part in Russia's successful campaign to host the 2018 World Cup.

Posted at 11:33 27 May 201511:33 27 May 2015

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Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Cesar Assis in Brasil emails: It's a shame for us Brazilians....

12:31

Post update

Switzerland's Federal Office of Justice says it has "ordered the blocking of accounts at several banks in Switzerland through which bribes are claimed to have flowed as well as the seizure of related bank documents".

12:30

Fifa statement

FIFA has said it is working with the Swiss authorities and welcomes any action that can help "root out wrongdoing in football".

In a statement, it said it understood that the arrests of the individuals in Zurich on behalf of the US authorises was carried out "in relation with CONCACAF and CONMEBOL business".

The actions of the Swiss Attorney General are connected to the 2018-2022 World Cup bidding process, it added.

"FIFA is fully co-operating with the investigation and is supporting the collection of evidence in this regard. As noted by the Swiss authorities, this collection of evidence is being carried out on a cooperative basis."

12:29

Post update

Here are brief profiles by BBC Mundo, of some of the Fifa officials seen detained in Zurich on Wednesday morning (see 10:23 entry).

Eduardo Li

This Costa Rican of Chinese origin is president of the Costa Rican Football Federation and was about to join Fifa's Executive Committee this coming Friday.

Mr Li was named "Personality of the Year 2014", according to the local newspaper La Nacion, for the "brilliant" performance of the national team in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

He studied civil engineering, but only exercised the profession for a few years to work in his family's business and also in international transportation and customs.

The newspaper also described him as a "football lover". In partnership with another businessman, Adrian Castro, he bought a football franchise that was to become the second division team Municipal Puntarenas.

Mr Castro was later killed in 2009 in a crime that has "never been fully resolved", he was quoted as saying.

In 2007, Mr Li took over Walter Niehaus as president of the Costa Rican Football Federation.

Jose Maria Marin

The former football player, Mr Marin was president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) from March 2012 to April 2015.

He has also been actively involved in politics, and is a current member of Brazil's Labour Party.

From 1982 to 1988 he held the post of president of the Paulista Football Federation (FPF) which manages all official tournaments within the state of Sao Paulo.

Mr Marin was named interim president of the CBF in March 2012 - when Ricardo Teixeira retired due to health problems - and also was a member of the 2014 World Cup committee.

12:15

comments

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Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

John Parsley emails: Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, described the development as "a sad day for football". Resign Prince Ali! This is a GREAT day for football.

12:06

FA to vote against Blatter

And here's a statement by FA Chairman Greg Dyke, describing Wednesday's events as "very serious for Fifa and its current leadership".

He says the FA would vote for Sepp Blatter's sole opponent on Friday.

"As one of the associations who nominated Prince Ali it will not surprise you to learn that if the election for president goes ahead the FA will be voting for him. However, there must be a question mark over whether the election should take place in these circumstances.

"Clearly things are changing very quickly and our delegation to the Fifa congress in Zurich, which I am leading, will discuss the position and what we should do about it with our colleagues in Uefa when we meet tomorrow morning."

12:04

comments

Situation 'serious' says FA chairman

Big topic on Twitter

The hashtag #FIFA is currently the top trending term worldwide on Twitter. Since the news of the corruption charges broke this morning, over 120,000 tweets that include the hashtag #FIFA were published on Twitter.

11:58

'If they vote for Blatter, they'll get what they deserve'

Michael Hershman, a co-founder of Transparency International who sat on Fifa's independent reform panel, has responded to Wednesday's events.

On Sepp Blatter: "With regard to the election, I reckon they will go ahead. I think Sepp Blatter has enough confidence to win, perhaps not in the first round but in the second. Which is really unfortunate. While he wasn't arrested himself, he must take responsibility for creating a climate within Fifa which has led to various scandals and essentially to these arrests.

"If you take a close look at the federations that will be voting for Blatter and look at what countries they are in, they are - by large - countries that don't offer accountability. If they do vote for Blatter, they'll get what they deserve.'

On the 2018-2022 World Cups: "It's going to call in question whether the World Cups both in Russia and Qatar were won in the spirit of fairness. While the question seems to have been resolved in the past six or seven months, I do believe that this will reopen debate on those issues."

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Fifa President Sepp BlatterImage caption: Fifa President Sepp Blatter

11:57

Uefa 'astonished and saddened'

In a statement, Europe's football governing body Uefa says it "is astonished and saddened by the events which have taken place earlier today in Zurich and is now waiting for additional information".

It adds: "An informal meeting of the Uefa Executive Committee will take place this afternoon in Warsaw".

11:50

comments

Get in touch

Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Kofi Appiah from Koforidua, Ghana emails: In order for peace and harmony, l believe a rotating Fifa presidency will go long way in fighting corruption and also there must be limited term of office. For Sepp Blatter is not the world, and the world is not Sepp Blatter. He is salt and has lost his taste.

11:42

comments

'No integrity'

Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Michael Walsh in Honolulu, Hawaii emails: At what point will we stop fooling ourselves into believing that sport is not just another form of politics? There is no "integrity" to sport by its very nature. That is why we need to demand stronger regulation of national and international sports associations. We cannot allow their leaderships to be above the law in the name of sport.

11:41

Friday's Fifa election explained

As things stand the Fifa presidential election will go ahead on Friday.

Post update

Tweet @BBC_HaveYourSay

Jeremy Palmer in Barbados tweets: Time for England, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France AND the USA to pull out of #FIFA

11:33

Corruption 'rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted'

Nine Fifa officials and five corporate executives have been indicted for racketeering conspiracy and corruption. Announcing the charges earlier, US Attorney General Lorretta Lynch said the corruption was "rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted both abroad and here in the United States".

"It spans at least two generations of soccer officials who, as alleged, have abused their positions of trust to acquire millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks.

"And it has profoundly harmed a multitude of victims, from the youth leagues and developing countries that should benefit from the revenue generated by the commercial rights these organisations hold, to the fans at home and throughout the world whose support for the game makes those rights valuable."

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Fifa officials had "abused their positions of trust"Image caption: US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Fifa officials had "abused their positions of trust"

'There's Only One Sepp Blatter'

"There's Only One Sepp Blatter" includes the first ever broadcast interview with his daughter Corrine Blatter (recorded before Wednesday's events).

11:32

Post update

Tweet @BBC_HaveYourSay

Colin Edwards tweets: FIFA no credibility. Friday vote no credibility. Next 2 world cups no credibility.

11:26

Post update

Contact us on Facebook

Over on the BBC's World Have Your Say Facebook page, Tim Norris says: Fifa is clearly a money-making machine. If the bribes are $100 million, then the benefits to the companies offering the bribes is many times that. All decent sponsors should just pull out completely until this whole organisation is cleansed, starting at the very top.

Posted at 10:23 27 May 201510:23 27 May 2015

Post update

Fifa's current motto is and has been for some time "My game is fair play". Will the criminal investigations unravel the governing body of the world's most popular game?

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Posted at 10:21 27 May 201510:21 27 May 2015

More on Jose Maria Marin

Among those under investigation is Brazilian Jose Maria Marin, a member of Fifa's club committee

Mr Marin, a former football player, was president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) from March 2012 to April 2015, and was a member of the 2014 World Cup Committee.

The 83-year-old also had a political career, having joined the Workers Party of Brazil in 2007 and been deputy governor and governor of the state of Sao Paulo.

11:11

Unhappy birthday

Fifa turned 111 just last week. An inauspicious start to its 112th year then.

BBCCopyright: BBC

11:01

Arrests 'a long time coming'

Andrew Jennings, a British journalist who investigated the alleged corruption in Fifa for the BBC's Panorama programme, tells BBC World TV the criminal investigation has been "a long time coming".

Post update

Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Kevin Hughes in Gwernymynydd, Flintshire, UK emails: How can Friday's vote, which is set to be nothing more than Blatter's coronation, possibly go ahead? Throughout his whole time as Fifa president he has been dogged by scandal and allegations of corruption.

10:47

Garcia report pledge

More from the ongoing news conference in Zurich. Mr de Gregorio also says that the Garcia report will be published.

He refers to former US attorney Michael Garcia who investigated the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids. Mr Garcia left Fifa in December 2014 because it refused to fully publish his findings. Only the report's summary has been released.

10:40

comments

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@TonyBocock tweets: @BBC_HaveYourSay At last a serious investigation into #FIFA What a disgrace for real footballing nations that the USA instigated it!

10:38

'Stress factor'

Mr de Gregorio also stresses that Fifa President Sepp Blatter is not involved in the criminal cases.

The spokesman adds that Mr Blatter is "focused on the congress", but adds that "the stress factor is a bit higher today".

Post update

Mr de Gregorio also confirms that the 2018 and 2022 World Cups will be staged as planned in Russia and Qatar respectively.

10:30

Post update

Election to go ahead

A news conference with Fifa's Director of Communications, Walter De Gregorio, has begun. You can watch it live here.

Mr De Gregorio tells reporters that Fifa's congress in Zurich will go on as planned on Friday, as will the election of the president.

FifaCopyright: Fifa

10:26

Share your view

Tweet @BBC_HaveYourSay

@AdlenGarytweets: @BBC_HaveYourSay @FIFA the black hole in the middle of football....the whole game suffers.

10:23

Post update

Who's been arrested?

The faces of some of the Fifa officials seen detained in Zurich. From left to right they are: Jeffrey Webb, Eduardo Li, Eugenio Figueredo, Jose Maria Marin.

BBCCopyright: BBC

10:22

Russian reaction

A correspondent for Russia's state-owned Rossiya 24 TV channel has said that Wednesday's arrests are "a US attempt to set a precedent after which they may with a vengeance start demanding that Fifa strip Russia of the right to hold the world championship".

The correspondent adds that "this isn't the first time the US has been using sport as political leverage".

10:20

More arrests expected

New York Times reporter Matt Apuzzo is one of the journalists who broke the story. He told the BBC more arrests were expected.

"There have been accusations of corruption for a long time in Fifa, but we've never seen anything quite like this. "

AFPCopyright: AFP

10:18

comments

Get in touch

Email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

Mark from the UK emails: Please let this be end of over 40 years of Fifa mismanagement, back-scratching, bad decisions and treating the fans of the most beautiful game like idiots.

There is no obvious footballing reason to send human beings to play a high intensity sport to a country where the temperatures are often above 40 degrees. Please let this be the beginning of the end of the emotional torture FIFA has put us through. Can we now, for the love of all that is holy and good, have our game back please.

10:15

comments

Post update

Fifa will hold a news conference in Zurich at 09:00 GMT (11:00 CET).

It said in a tweet the event would be streamed live on its official site. You'll also be able to watch it here on the BBC news website.

10:10

2018-22 World Cup bids case

In a separate development, Swiss prosecutors launched a criminal case into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids, won by Russia and Qatar respectively.

In a statement, the office of the attorney general of Switzerland said criminal proceedings were opened "against persons unknown on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and of money laundering in connection with the allocation of the 2018 and 2022 Football World Cups".

It added that "electronic data and documents" were seized on Wednesday at Fifa's headquarters in Zurich.

Posted at 9:09 27 May 20159:09 27 May 2015

comments

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BBC Match of the Day presenter, Gary Linekar

tweets: This is extraordinary! FIFA is imploding. The best thing that could possibly happen to the beautiful game.

10:07

Get in touch

Contact @BBC_HaveYourSay

The story is prompting discussion on the BBC World News Facebook page with Noel Shanahan stating: "Qatar should never have been picked for the WC. It has been FIFA's downfall", while Hawar Ameen writes: "It would be interesting to know where allegiances and loyalties of those arrested lie. Either way choosing the day of the vote to arrest members is a little obvious."

10:00

US indictment

The BBC has seen a statement released by the US department of justice, which says a 47-count indictment was unsealed on Wednesday in New York, charging 14 defendants with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies, among other offenses.

It says the defendants include high-ranking officials.

09:55

Post update

Fifa's incumbent president Sepp Blatter is understood not to be one of those arrested. He is seeking a fifth term as the head of the governing body. His rival for the presidency, Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, described the development as "a sad day for football".

APCopyright: AP

FIFA President Sepp BlatterImage caption: FIFA President Sepp Blatter

09:44

Post update

A number of officials were seen by BBC reporters being escorted from the hotel by police. They include:

Costa Rica's national football chief Eduardo Li, who was due to join Fifa's executive committee on Friday

Uruguay's Eugenio Figueredo, president of South American football governing body Conmebol

Brazil's Jose Maria Marin, a member of Fifa's club committee. Police were seen carrying his suitcase and some of his possessions in plastic bags

Jeffrey Webb - the head of the confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean and Fifa's vice-president - has also been named as one of those arrested.

09:41

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Reporters have been gathering outside the luxury Baur au Lac hotel, where the suspects were detained on Wednesday morning.

AFPCopyright: AFP

09:39

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The corruption case, filed in the US, involves alleged bribes worth about $150m (£97m; €138m) since the early 1990s. The suspects are detained pending extradition to the US, as it is believed the money was transferred via US bank accounts.

09:32

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Hello and welcome to the BBC's live coverage of the arrests of six football officials at the sport's governing body body Fifa. They were detained over corruption allegations in Zurich, Switzerland.

Stay with us for the latest updates - reports from our correspondents on the ground, expert analysis, and your reaction from around the world. You can contact us via email, text or Twitter. We'll publish what we can.